Duterte: No To Nuclear Power Plant Under My Term

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has turned down proposals to operate a nuclear power plant to address the possible power supply problem in the future.

He stressed that he would not operate any nuclear power energy under his term.

"We have not reached the danger zone wherein we will die if there is no available energy. Maybe someday, (but) not during my presidency," he said.

"Huwag muna ngayon kasi (Not now because) we have to come up with really tight safeguards to assure that there will be no disasters if there is a nuclear leak or explosion somewhere in the nuclear reactors that we will be building," Duterte said.

The president said that the plan needed to be studied carefully as it may bring danger to the public.

“It has to be studied carefully by Congress and by the Filipino people. For after all, if there is a leak there, we will all be put in danger and it's our country, remember that," Duterte said.

Earlier, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said the country needs about 1,100 megawatts (MW) every year to meet the expected demand of around 30,000 MW by 2030.

He said the demand in electricity is expected to increase of about five percent every year until 2030.

Last month, lawmakers and Energy officials visited Bataan Nuclear Power Plant to access if the facility can still operate or if the government should build a nuclear plant.

The 40-year-old facility was built in 1976 under the administration of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

The plant, which was completed in 1984, was the answer to the rising power prices at that time.

However, the plant was not operated after it was declared unsafe since it was located at a major earthquake fault line, which is near Mount Pinatubo.

Source: ABS-CBN